Commercial operations have commenced on the $140 million Atlas Gas Pipeline, which will transport gas from Senex Energy’s Atlas gas acreage near Wandoan in south-west Queensland, to the east coast gas market via the Wallumbilla Gas Hub to meet demands for additional gas.
In June 2018, Jemena signed an agreement with Senex Energy to build, own and operate the 60km gas pipeline in order to fast-track new gas supply to the domestic market. Gas transported through the new pipeline will support local industry, and will be sold to manufacturers including CSR, Orora and O-I.
Jemena’s Managing Director, Frank Tudor, said the Senex-Jemena partnership demonstrated how the gas industry is responding to demand for additional gas for the domestic market.
“What’s impressive about this partnership is the speed with which it has been executed. In just under 18 months Jemena and Senex have safely delivered this project – including the physical construction of the pipeline, which was completed in under four months,” Mr Tudor said.
Mr Tudor said Jemena worked closely with the communities surrounding the pipeline throughout its design and construction phases to ensure broad community awareness of the project.
“We want to thank the Wandoan and other communities in south-west Queensland and the Darling Downs region for their support and interest in this project, and for trusting us to deliver it on their land.
“The communities in these areas have been absolutely pivotal to the overall success of this project.”
Mr Tudor said the project created hundreds of roles, with almost 200 of those filled by people from the local community.
“We also made use of local businesses and contractors throughout the design and build of the project with more than $12 million in contracts awarded to local companies,” Mr Tudor said.
“Conservatively, we estimate this project contributed more than $24 million in flow-on benefits to these communities.”
Mr Tudor said the Atlas Gas Pipeline formed part of Jemena’s broader Northern Growth Strategy which seeks to build an interconnected network of pipeline assets across the country’s north in order to bring new gas to market via the most direct and efficient routes available.
The strategy commenced with the completion of the $800 million Northern Gas Pipeline in 2018, and was extended in July this year when Jemena revealed its proposed pipeline route for the Galilee Gas Pipeline which is planned for construction.
The Atlas acreage was the first of 13 exploration tenements awarded by the Queensland Government to fast-track the delivery of additional gas to the domestic market.
APPEA Chief Executive, Andrew McConville, congratulated Senex Energy and its partners on the supply of natural gas from this ground-breaking project.
“This is another excellent example of the oil and gas industry providing natural gas supply to domestic customers, including manufacturers to support local jobs and economic growth,” Mr McConville said.
